Convicted pill mill owner pleads guilty after fleeing during trial

A woman who was convicted of fraud and money laundering in connection with running an illegal pill pill has pleaded guilty to additional charges of failure to appear.

Tamral Guzman, 42, of Blount County, pleaded guilty on January 3. She will be sentenced on March 20.

In October, during her federal trial in Blount County, Guzman did not show up in court on October 2. A warrant for her arrest was issued, and she was found and arrested in Florida on October 30, where she was living in a hotel and working at a local restaurant.

Her boyfriend, Brian Paul Hatcher, was with her. He pleaded guilty on Dec. 20 to being an accessory after the fact and retaliating against a witness. He faces up to 30 years in prison.

"This conviction is notice to all that running from the custody of the U.S. Marshals is an additional offense which we will prosecute. The federal judicial system must be respected. I extend my sincere praise for the work of the Internal Revenue Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Blount County Drug Task Force and the U.S. Marshals Service for their diligent and successful work that resulted in these convictions," said U. S. Attorney Bill Killian. "We are also very appreciative of the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kolman for her prosecution of these cases," he added.